Cornell chemist: 'Tesla may be on hot seat, but electric cars are still smarter and safer option'

Statistically, it's much safer to drive an electric car than a gasoline powered car, said a Cornell chemist in the wake of fires in Tesla's Model S electric cars.

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By Julie Sherwood

MPNnow

By Julie Sherwood

Posted Nov. 19, 2013 at 5:16 PM

By Julie Sherwood

Posted Nov. 19, 2013 at 5:16 PM

A Cornell University chemist Wednesday said a probe into battery fires with Tesla Motors vehicles shouldn't give electric cars a bad name.

"Tesla may be on hot seat, but electric cars are still smarter and safer option," was the headline of a press release from Cornell quoting fuel chemist Paul Mutolo, director of external partnerships for the Energy Materials Center at Cornell University and a member of the board of directors NY's battery consortium, NY-BEST.

"It's unfortunate that the Tesla fires are making such news," stated Mutolo. "Statistically, it's much safer to drive an electric car than a gasoline powered car. NY's battery consortium, NY-BEST, reports that over 150,000 vehicle fires happen in the US each year. "It's human nature to have some fear of the unknown. But the data here shows how unwarranted these fears are."

The National Highway Traffic Administration, which announced the probe early Tuesday, is looking into two incidents in which Model S drivers struck metal objects on highways. The objects penetrated the bottom of the car, punctured the battery and caused fires. Both drivers were warned of a problem by the car and escaped safely.